Uganda
2006
www.kamuli.org.uk
Kamuli Expedition Team
Expedition Details
What
is this all about?
For the last 13 years, UK Scouts have been involved in the support of Scouting
in the former British colony of Uganda. This help has been proffered
in various ways, and has resulted in several previous expeditions to Uganda,
most recently in 2000, 2003 and 2004.
As part of the expeditions in 2003 and 2004, two teams of 33 Scouts,
and 4 Guides, centred their project on the school of a small village, called
Lukotaime in the Kamuli district of Uganda. For this project they funded, and
helped build, a double classroom block, a toilet block, a teachers accommodation
block and in addition provided many educational items and sports equipment for
the school.
Why
Kamuli and why Uganda?
The school in the small village of Lukotaime, in Kamuli District, was
based on three straw shelters, yet they teach over 500 children, aged between 5
and 14. Whilst this is not the only school like this in Uganda, it was clearly
in need of additional help and funding when UK Scouts came across it in 2000. You cannot help
everybody, but you can start somewhere. Uganda is a great country to work in.
They welcome us with open arms, and give us every assistance that is possible.
The majority of Uganda is also a very safe country to visit, as well as offering
fantastic scenery and expedition qualities. The Lukotaime School is now
finished, but there are other schools in the same area that are in similar
conditions to the old school in Lukotaime.
What would
we be doing on the expedition?
The expedition will last approximately 3 – 4 weeks during August 2006.
The expedition will be broken down approximately as follows
11 days would be
spent on the project work at a school in the Kamuli District (see later section)
3 days on a safari in Uganda or Kenya
2 days doing adventurous activities e.g. white water rafting on the Nile, or
quad bikes, climbing Mt. Elgon
6 days travelling and sightseeing
2 days flying
Who can apply?
We are looking for expedition members as follows
1.
Members of the Scout association born between 1st August 1981
and 28th July 1992
2.
Members of the Guides Association born between 1st August 1981
and 28th July 1990
3.
Warranted Leaders (especially female) born before 1st August
1981 (Please see the leader section)
During the
expedition, do we camp?
During some phases of the
expedition, such as the project work, we will definitely be camping. At other
points, such as the Safari, we will be in hotels (2 or 3 to a room). At other
times, we could be in hostel dormitories. So it is a mixture of accommodation
types.
What
is the Project Work?
The project work has yet to
be confirmed. However, it is likely to include funding and building a classroom
block at a school, painting and decorating older classrooms, and interacting
with the school children and the local Scouts. The project work is forecast to
cost around £11,000 - £12,000.
How will we
fund the project work?
The funding will be a mixture of Grants, Gift Aid, team fund raising, and
individual fundraising. Everybody will need to help raise this money. It sounds
a lot, but around ½ should come from Gift Aid claimed from your main
fundraising for your expedition fees.
When is the
expedition?
Until the flights are
confirmed, we cannot give the precise dates, however it is aimed to be around
the last few days of July, and the first three weeks of August 2006. If you have
commitments that may clash please write these dates on the application form.
How much
will it cost?
With 19 months to go, it is
very difficult to put a precise cost on the expedition at present. However, we
are currently forecasting the cost to be between £1,300 and £1,600. This
includes all of the UK based training before departure, visa's, airfares,
insurance, Ugandan transport, food etc. etc.
It does not include
the cost of UK travel to / from training weekends, UK travel to / from the
airport, or the cost of obtaining a passport or vaccinations / anti-malarial
medication. The final number of contingent members will also potentially affect
the individual cost.
Can we pay
in stage payments?
Yes, we want you to pay in
stage payments. The dates and amounts are yet to be confirmed, but are likely to
be
£150 - On acceptance
of your place on the team (Mid May 05)
£350 – End of October 05
£350 – End of January 06
£350 – End of March 06
£Remaining balance – End of May 06
What happens
if I need to withdraw after I have accepted my place.
The initial £150 is
non-refundable (as it is used to pay for Insurance / Airline deposits, which are
in your name). Any other amounts paid, we will consider refunding. However, we
cannot make any promises, and the amount will depend on how much has been spent
on non-recoverable items, and how much can be recovered from the insurance
company (which will depend on the reason for withdrawal). Any refunds will only
occur after the expedition has taken place.
Can we fund
raise?
Yes! You can either fund raise on your own, as part of a group located in
the same area, or we may organize some events across the whole team. We
encourage everybody to start fund raising as soon as they have been selected.
What size is
the expedition group?
The size of the group is
very difficult. For costs reasons, we try and base the number around Ugandan bus
sizes! Depending on the number of applicants, and those that pass the selection
process, we are aiming for a group size of around 21-24. The leader team will
consist of 4 or 5 adults (all aged 25 or over). The remaining members will be
made up of Scouts / Explorer Scouts / Network Scouts aged between 14 and 25 (or
Guide equivalents).
What areas
will the team come from?
The leadership team comes
from 2 areas. The first is Andover in Hampshire; the second is Bexhill in East
Sussex. If you are outside of these areas, you can still apply, but please be
aware that all training and activities will be focused in these areas (or
between).
If I have
been before, will I automatically be able to go again?
We are looking at taking a
mixture of people, some that have been before, and some new. All applicants will
be treated on their own individual merits, and there will be no preference given
either way.
Will I have
to work?
That's up to you! But, to
get the most out of the expedition, you will need to work at the fund raising
before the trip, and take a full and active part in the project work. Whilst
some of this can be a bit of a slog, it really can be very enjoyable! If you
don't do any work, then the rest of the team will probably give you a kick up
the backside, so the answer really is YES!
Is it going to be a
party?
The
training weekends and expedition are hard work, but fun and very rewarding.
Whilst we very much want all of the team members to become good friends, and to
have a great time, it WILL NOT be one big party. Whilst in Uganda, there will be
an opportunity to try the local beverages, but if you are looking to have a
three-week long party, and regularly getting drunk, then DON’T apply,
as this expedition will not be for you.
What is the
selection weekend for?
The selection weekend is
designed to see if you are the right person to go on an international expedition
of this type. We are not looking for the strongest, fastest, most intelligent,
the best Scout / Guide in the world or any other “best of” types of people.
We are looking for people who want to have an international experience, are
prepared to take the rough with the smooth, who work well in a team, who can
work with others throughout the age range, who will give anything a try, for
those that care and look out for others, and most of all, like to have fun with
a group of similar people. During the selection weekend, we will make you tired,
probably wet and dirty, emotional, and give you some rotten jobs to do, but it
should still all be fun! PS – Evil Big Brother has nothing on us!
Is the
selection weekend compulsory?
Basically, YES! If the date
is a major problem, then please contact us, and we will work out what we can do.
When, where
and how much is the selection weekend?
The location of the selection weekend is still being finalised, but is
likely to be Broadstone Warren in East Sussex. It will run from 8pm on Friday 6th
May 05 until 3.30pm on Sunday 8th May 05. The weekend will cost £25
per person, payable in cash on arrival. There will be no refunds from the
weekend, even if you are or are not selected.
What
about training?
Prior to the expedition,
there will be 5 training weekends. The provisional dates are below. These
weekends are for two purposes. The main one is so that everybody in the team can
get to know everybody else (remember, you will become quite intimate with each
other during the course of the expedition). The second reason is to carry out
training on various aspects of camping and living in Uganda. This will include
first aid for remote places, and will cover emotional aspects of the expedition.
It is not compulsory
to attend every training weekend, but the more you attend, the more you will
gain from the experience. The cost of the training weekends is included in the
overall price. We have aimed some of the dates to be outside of University term
time, so that they are easier to make for those at Uni.
The training weekends
will be located at campsites around Southern England, between Andover and
Bexhill.
2nd
– 4th Sept 2005 - 1st Training Weekend
25th – 27th Nov 2005 - 2nd Training Weekend
10th – 12th Feb 2006 - 3rd Training Weekend
21st – 23rd April 2006 - 4th Training Weekend
7th – 9th July 2006 - 5th and Final Training
Weekend
This Expedition is
part of the wider Uganda Network 2006 Expedition, and as such, there is likely
to be additional optional Network camps in May 05, Oct 05 and May 06.
What
Jabs will I need?
This is always a difficult
question, as we cannot directly advise you. You will need to discuss it with
your doctor. However, it is an immigration requirement to have a Yellow Fever
jab. Other normal jabs can include Tetanus, Polio, Meningitis, Typhoid, and Hep
A / B. You will also need to take anti-malarial tablets, as Uganda is a malaria
region. Depending on what you take / what jabs you have, and your doctor’s
policy (as they all charge different amounts), this can all cost anywhere from
£50 to £250.
How
Safe is Uganda?
Uganda is, by a lot of
standards, a very safe country to visit. However, like any country, they do have
their problem areas. Currently, this is in the Northern area of Uganda, which we
will NOT be visiting. At all times, we will follow the advice given by
the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and the UK and Ugandan Scout
associations. You can check the current FCO advice on Uganda by visiting their
website at www.fco.gov.uk
. Please don't be alarmed by the first few paragraphs, as this is fairly
standard for all countries!
UK Scouts have been
undertaking expeditions to Uganda every year since 1993, with no problems.
What
is the reporting structure of the expedition?
The expedition is being run
as a Scouting expedition, by warranted Scout leaders. For approval and auditing
purposes, it will report to “East Sussex County Scouts”, as was the case for
the 2003 and 2004 expeditions. As a Uganda expedition, it will form part of the
larger Uganda Network 2006 expedition, run by the Uganda Scout Network and the
Africa Scout Network Fellowship.
How
experienced are the leaders?
The main leader is Julian
Sore, who has completed 2 previous expeditions to Uganda as an assistant leader,
was the Expedition leader for Uganda 2004, plus three additional planning trips
to Uganda. Julian was also a unit leader, taking a group of 36 Scouts to
Thailand for the world Scout jamboree. Julian has held a Scout Leaders warrant,
and then a Group Scout Leaders warrant for over 6 years, and is currently a
District leader in Andover, Hampshire.
Dave Mercer has held a warrant for
over 13 years, most recently as an Explorer Scout Leader in Senlac District. In
addition to Scouting trips around the UK and Europe, Dave is used to
international travel, and working with local customs, as formerly ran a diving
business in Egypt. Dave was an Assistant Leader on Uganda 2004, and has also
been on a planning trip to Uganda. Dave is also a fully trained member of St
John Ambulance.
Leaders
Wanted!!!
********** We are currently looking for 2 Female
leaders to join the leadership team **********
Although
Julian and Dave are very experienced in expeditions in Uganda, we need
additional leaders, especially Female. If you are 25 or over in August 2006, and
like the sound of this expedition, please contact us ASAP for more details on
joining the leader team. You will need to go though a leader selection process.
Can
members of the Guide Association go?
The simple answer is YES, but, it is a little bit more complex than that!
You will need to be 16 before August 2006 (instead of the 14 for Scouts) and
your parents and Guide Leader will have to explicitly grant permission for you
to undertake a Scout Expedition. If one of the female leaders that becomes part
of the leader team, is a warranted Guide leader, with the correct Guide permits,
then we can reduce the Guide age limit to 14.
Medical
Complications?
In
principle, anybody can apply for the expedition, irrespective of medical
conditions and disabilities. However, there are certain things that we have to
qualify this with, especially if you have any known issues
1.
Your Doctor must be able to give you full clearance to attend this
expedition
2.
All medical issues that could impact you must be reported through us to
the insurance company, and the insurance company must approval your cover. No
insurance, no expedition.
3.
You must have a Yellow Fever jab, take Anti-Malarial tablets, and
vaccinations as agreed with your doctor.
4.
The leadership team will then have the final decision, taking into
account knowledge of the conditions that we will be under, and your personal
medical issues.
Please
feel free to discuss anything that may be a problem under this section with one
of the leaders before applying. We
do need 100% full disclosure of medical information, including being updated
with any changes during the training or expedition. This may lead to you having
to withdraw if the above cannot still be met.
How
long is the flight?
If we use a direct flight
from the UK, it is about 8 hours. However, we may go via another location (such
as Amsterdam or Dubai), which will increase the flying time, whilst helping to
minimize cost.
What about
Insurance?
All members of the expedition will be covered by standard Scout
expedition insurance, which is included in the cost.
Food?
Food
in Uganda is usually plentifully, but probably quite different from what you are
used to in the UK. Whilst in built up areas, Chicken and Chips or Fish and Chips
are the norm. Whilst in rural areas, chicken or goat casserole stew with posho
(ground rice) or matokke (green bananas) is very common. Fruit (Pineapple and
Water Melon) forms a compulsory part of the daily diet. We can cater for
vegetarians without too much of a problem. The over riding message is that you
have to be flexible with food. If you are a fussy eater, then this will not be
for you.
What is the
worst thing about the trip?
Different people say
different things. Some people say it’s the insects, some say it’s the squat
toilets, some say it’s the poverty, but the main thing people say it is, is
the saying goodbye to everybody at the end of the expedition.
Any other
questions?
If you have any other
questions, please contact us. We will try and answer them as best as we can.
Julian Sore
julian.sore@ntlworld.com
Home 01264 391186
Day 01264 326400
Fax 01264 326401
Dave Mercer
Mercer.d@btconnect.com
Home 01424 224104
Day/Mobile 07932 454211
Fax 01424 224235
